A new micro-census from Destatis has revealed that 27,5 percent of people in Germany come from families with a migrant background, well over the EU average.

Large percentage of the population has non-German heritage

According to the recently released micro-census, 14,2 million people living in Germany in 2021 have immigrated to the country since 1950, meaning that 17,3 percent of the German population has a migrant background. 

Once the children of these migrants to Germany are considered, the figure increases to 23 percent of the population. When also counting the number of children living in Germany who are born to one parent with non-German heritage, the figure increases again to 27,5 percent.

Germany tops EU average of recent migrants

The 17,3 percent of the German population with a post-1950 migrant background brings the country well over the EU average of 10,6 percent. Though the federal republic's figures fall short of Malta, Cyprus and Sweden, whose migrant-background population make up 20 percent of all inhabitants.

Prospective changes to Germany’s citizenship laws, which will shorten the amount of time migrants must live in Germany before they can apply for citizenship and will allow non-EU migrants to apply for dual German citizenship, will enable two large migrant groups in Germany to gain the security of citizenship.

Alongside those of Turkish heritage, who make up the overwhelming majority of people with a migrant background in Germany, many of the refugees who came to Germany in 2015 should also soon be eligible to apply for dual citizenship.

With a new German passport and the consequent right to vote in German and EU elections, the citizenship shift will significantly change the makeup of Germany’s eligible voters, which are currently getting older and smaller, with more than half of the electorate over 50.

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